Everything in the world was complemented by Yin and Yang. In a small village, there might be one or two scoundrels, but in a big city, there would be even more local ruffians.
Hangzhou was currently the largest trading port in the sea. More and more people came from both foreign and domestic, and the population of the city was increasing. Some of the people who rushed into the city were jobless. They originally used crooked means to make a living. When they came here, they combined with the local gangsters and formed gangs of various sizes. Some of them even used every possible means to get close to the officials who had the power to punish and kill people. They were rampant for a while and did a lot of harm.
These ruffians formed gangs. They were called "Hit the Six Cities". They swindled, extorted and blackmailed. They were also in charge of collecting money, beating people up, dealing with competitors, and so on.
Some gangs were named after the number of people in charge. They were called the Thirteen Tycoons, the Thirty-Six Big Dippers, and the Seventy-Two Earthly Demons. Some were named after the weapons they used, such as the Club Hammer Gang, the Chopping Wood Gang, the Folding Stool Gang, the Axe Gang, and so on. They roamed the streets, gambled, drank, and dominated the market.
When these people encountered a murder case, they saw it as a rare commodity. As long as they heard that the victim had no relatives, they would immediately send their brothers to pretend to be the victim's relatives. They would extort money and even destroy the victim's home. Or they would give false testimony, especially if they offended foreign merchants. Those people were timid and afraid of trouble. In the end, most of them had to swallow their anger and pay a little blood to settle the matter.
At that time, the gangs were not divided into different categories like the ones in the future. There were cheats, counterfeiting, selling fake goods, dominating the market, being hired thugs, collecting protection fees, extorting and blackmailing people. They did everything.
There was once a man who disguised himself as a scholar who ran to the house of a retired official. He pretended to be the tenth grandson of the famous Song Dynasty poet Lin He Jing, who planted plums and raised cranes in the West Lake. He said that he was down and out and hoped that the official would help him.
The official was very happy. He took out Lin He Jing's biography and asked him to read it aloud. The man could read, but when he read that Lin He Jing "never married and had no children", he couldn't help but blush. The official couldn't help but laugh. He didn't beat him and just asked his family to chase him out. The man could only accept his bad luck. However, he even dared to deceive an official. This showed how bold these ruffian gangs were.
Some gangs specialized in counterfeiting. There was once a gang member who used fake silver to buy a cow in Ningbo. the cow owner took the fake silver and paid the tax. The cow owner was found out by the government and was charged with counterfeiting silver. How could he explain clearly? In the end, he hanged himself out of regret. Ordinary people only saw that the hoodlum only made a few fake silver and swindled some property. Who would have thought that he was the scammers?
Ordinary people only saw that the hoodlum made a few fake silver and swindled some property. Who could imagine.
Some people who suddenly became rich wanted to be connected to a famous ancestor, so these people searched for famous families and sects since the Qin and Han Dynasties to be connected to. Looking at the genealogy of their ancestors, all of them were nobles, marquises, generals, and ministers. Successive generations of titles, imperial edicts, and famous people's names were all there. It was enough to pass off the fake as the real one. Even in the present age, few people could distinguish between the real and the fake. After another one or two hundred years, no one would be able to verify the authenticity.
Although the usual behavior of these local ruffians made the common people restless, if they were to really go to court, firstly, it would be difficult to find evidence, and secondly, it would not be enough for them to be beheaded or sentenced. If they were beaten, the ruffians would come back and use underhanded methods to make the common people restless. Therefore, most of the common people chose to swallow their anger.
The gang that bullied the "Tianxiu" troupe was a few sworn brothers called the Ten Tigers. The eldest was called Yilong Hu Long and the second was called Flat Snake Deng Guan. These people often went to the theater to play and pickpocket. The troupe dared to be angry but did not dare to say anything.
After Fake Idiot Budian was paralyzed, no one paid attention to him anymore. But the news that he had become Zhu Chengbi's lover at the Xiao Chun Banquet soon spread inside and outside the theater. Deng Guan, one of the Ten Tigers, the Flat Serpent, became a frequent visitor of the theater. He often ran to the back to drink and chat with Fake Idiot Budian, who was paralyzed on the bed and had nothing to do.
Not long after that, Fake Idiot Budian died suddenly. Old Master Zhang once visited Zhu Chengbi and Xiaochun Yan in prison. According to Xiaochun Yan, ever since her husband fell and became disabled, Flat Snake Guo Guan had been flirting with her. Especially once, she was annoyed and told Guo Guan that although her husband was paralyzed, he had saved some money from being a famous actor over the years. Even if the two of them were not in the troupe, they would still be able to spend their days together. This made Guo Guan pester her even more.
After Xiaochun Banquet's husband was killed, Guo Guan once threatened her to marry him. Xiaochun Banquet did not agree, so Guo Guan sneered and left. After the troupe leader reported to the official, several witnesses who testified that Xiaochun Banquet had an affair with Zhu Chengbi and often abused her husband were mostly ruffians who often went to the theater to steal. It was difficult to say that they had nothing to do with Guo Guan and others.
Now that the two of them were arrested, a cousin who had not been mentioned by her husband at Xiaochun Banquet suddenly appeared. Every day, he ran to the theater and cried. With the help of Hu Long, Guo Guan, and a group of ruffians, they disturbed the peace of the brothel. These people were even more suspicious.
Old Master Zhang had long heard from his students that these gangs had some ability to fish for money from the dead. For example, they would pick up a lonely and dying old or young on the road and bring them back. They would quietly kill them and leave them at the door of a rich family. Then, they would pretend to be relatives and friends to extort money from them. Fake Idiot Budian's case was almost the same.
Zhengde was so angry that his lungs were about to explode. He said angrily, "Everyone says that Yan Song has good governance. Could it be that he turns a blind eye to so much darkness under his eyes?"
Old Master Zhang smiled bitterly and said, "This cannot be blamed on the prefectural magistrate. Nowadays, there are people coming and going in Hangzhou every day. The manpower of the prefectural magistrate's yamen is not enough to handle normal cases of complaints. Besides, these people, what kind of crime can be used against them? Isn't it just coming to the magistrate's house to cry and make a fuss as a relative of the victim?
For the common people, daily necessities are their lives. Making a fuss like this is enough to take their lives. But when the magistrate goes to the magistrate, there is no way to punish them. What can you do? When someone's relative dies tragically, don't you come to the magistrate's house to cry? Even if the magistrate is impartial, if he is flogged ten or twenty times, he will repay the family tenfold. At that time, the family will not dare to come to the magistrate's house to report the case for their own safety.
Young Master Zhu, this is what you mean by 'punishment cannot punish a crime' and 'the law cannot prevail over evil'. Well said. These local ruffians and scoundrels take advantage of the loopholes in the law. What they do is not a big crime, but the evil they do is enough to make the common people desperate. In troubled times, severe punishment is needed? Alas! Even the magistrate does not have the power to make such arbitrary decisions. It is easier said than done. "
Emperor Zhengde sneered. He pointed at Yang Ling and said, "Yang Ling!"
Yang Ling hurriedly left his seat and knelt down. He said, "Your subject is here!"
"I leave this matter to you. A group of useless chickens and pottery dogs. Deal with them quickly. Don't let them off unjustly!"
"Yes! Your subject will follow Your Majesty's will to strike hard, arrest them as soon as possible, judge them as soon as possible, and punish them severely. I will completely wipe out these monsters and scoundrels! "
Old Master Zhang was dumbfounded. His jaw cracked. He hurriedly rubbed it and fell to the ground. He kowtowed like pounding garlic and said, "This commoner has eyes but failed to see. Long live the Emperor!"
Zhengde laughed and said, "If you had eyes and could see, you would not have splashed water on the Little Celestial Master and said such words to me. Those who do not know are not guilty. Get up. I am traveling incognito today. Don't make it public. "
"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhang Chongzhong climbed up in fear. He certainly knew that the Emperor and Duke Wei had arrived in Hangzhou. The magistrate's yamen had specially issued a notice to the Academy to strengthen the management and to restrict the students from going out and wandering. For this reason, Old Master Zhang found more than 60 topics for the students to write essays. It was to restrain them. Just now, when he heard the young childe called the older childe Yang Ling and called himself "Your Majesty", how could Zhang Chongzhong not understand what was going on?
After listening to this annoying matter, Zhengde was not in the mood to continue sightseeing. He called Imperial Noble Consort Tang Yixian and others to come out and return to the mansion. Fu Bao stared at the reflection in the water alone in the inner chamber for a long time. No one knew what she was thinking. When she came out again, she had become much more gentle.
No one knew if it was the clothes that reminded her that she was a girl. Anyway, she walked quietly and spoke delicately. She no longer looked like a rough and rash young boy. Yongfu and Yixian were amazed by this. As for Yongchun and Xiang 'er, they could not see any change in Zhang Fubao. They were as carefree as usual.
If the Emperor personally paid attention to something, it was a big matter. Yang Ling did not inform the local government. He directly summoned the local leaders of Dongchang, the West Factory, the Inner Factory and the Imperial Bodyguard. The leaders did not know what had happened. They all came to see Yang Zhangtou in fear. All the leaders were gathered in the hall, but it was silent.
Upon seeing these people, Yang Ling went straight to the point and said, "This case was personally ordered by the Emperor to be handled by him. I don't care which one of you has a relationship with them. I also don't care which one of you has done anything for them before. Even if you were blindfolded last night and followed the local hooligans and gang bullies in Hangzhou to rob people, I will pardon you for this crime! "
Yang Ling coldly swept his eyes over them. He scared these Factory Guards, who ate people without spitting out the bones and didn't even spit out the dregs, to the point that their backs broke out in a cold sweat. Yang Ling gloomily said, "Today, this duke has given you this death-exemption medallion. You don't need to be afraid that the people you called brothers in the past will drag you out. But! From now on, those who dare to cover up criminals, leak information, or associate with evil, no matter how big or small the crime is, will all have their property confiscated and be punished! "
The leaders of the Three Factories and One Guard loudly shouted. The hall was immediately filled with murderous intent.
When these smiling tigers were harmless, they looked like they were smiling amiably and made money. But when they really turned hostile, they were all living kings of hell who ate people without spitting out the bones. How could those unlicensed hooligans be as professional as these licensed hooligans?
They all knew how powerful Yang Ling was. Now that Yang Ling had given them these words, who would dare to bend the law for personal reasons? In any case, Yang Ling had given them a death-exemption medallion. Without any worries, these people's murderous intent was aroused.
Yang Ling didn't tell them about the "three subordinates" of "severe and swift". They were originally a group of tigers who ate people. If they were allowed to be unscrupulous, what would happen? Immediately, Yang Ling transferred a large number of people from the nearby prefectures and counties to help them with the case. On the surface, Hangzhou was peaceful and prosperous as usual. But secretly, the "Hurricane Operation" had begun to crack down on crime.
Three days later, a leader of the Imperial Bodyguard in Hangzhou was invited to come forward and make peace. The boss of Tianxiu held a banquet and publicly apologized to the Ten Tigers of Hangzhou. When Hu Long and Guo Guan triumphantly received the two hundred taels of silver from the leader of Tianxiu, the Imperial Bodyguards who had been lying in ambush nearby swarmed out and took them all down.
As soon as this signal was given, the entire operation to close the net in Hangzhou began. Teams of foreigners, Imperial Bodyguards, as well as the bailiffs, patrol officers, and citizens who had just been transferred here and didn't know what was going on, began to arrest people one by one according to the list drawn up in advance.
The arrest was unusually smooth. First, it was already late at night. Most people had returned home. Second, because the Emperor was in Hangzhou, these gang members had already received instructions from their bosses. Recently, they had been much more well-behaved. They only wanted to avoid the limelight, so they all stayed at home obediently. There were almost no fish that escaped the net.
The people's hearts were like iron, and the law was like a furnace. Under the instructions of letting go of their hands and feet and not following the normal law, the "torture" art of the Three Factories and One Guards had not been performed for long before these gangsters confessed clearly about the fraud. The interrogation, evidence collection, and sentencing were unusually fast. Before the arrest caused panic among the people and before all kinds of rumors had time to spread, these gang members had already been publicly sentenced. Some were killed, some were locked up, and some were exiled. By the sixth day, the dust had settled.
Even though this kind of thunderous method was ruled by man and not by law, there was nothing to criticize. There would always be some new crimes, and only then would there be a new law corresponding to it. Investigating, researching, and creating and implementing new laws would take at least a few years. During this period of time, how could they turn a blind eye to the great damage that was done to society and all kinds of harm to the people?
Crime was like a virus, and the law was an anti-virus software. When it was too late to take effect, if society still needed to develop normally, then it could only be formatted. Although Yang Ling had entered officialdom late, he had experienced a lot of politics in the court and war in the army. He was decisive in killing without hesitation.
Unusual times used unusual methods. This move had an unexpected effect. The first to applaud were the small and medium-sized peddlers and the operators of the brothels, tea houses, food markets, and taverns from all over the country, as well as the common people at the bottom of society.
When Zhantou Yang came out this time, he only did not use his knife or gun when he arrived in Suzhou. Who would have thought that when he arrived in Hangzhou, he would be even more aggressive. In this battle, he killed more than two thousand people and imprisoned and exiled more than three thousand people. His brothers in Hangzhou who relied on illegal means were almost uprooted by him. Occasionally, a few small shrimps that slipped through the net felt insecure and walked with their legs crossed. Following the prosperity of Hangzhou, the Jianghu gangs that had just become active and strong were all attacked. The atmosphere in Hangzhou changed greatly.
Yang Ling personally took command. What he was most worried about was that it would affect the normal order and business development of Hangzhou. After everything was settled, he, Yan Song, and the others separately investigated openly and secretly to make sure that the people were calm and that there were no disturbances. Only then did they completely relax.
These few days, they were busy outside and had no time to care about anything else. Even in the Emperor's Palace, they only hurriedly went to report the situation and then left in a hurry. Yongfu and Xiang 'er rarely saw each other. Now that everything was settled, Yang Ling could rest assured and let Yan Song handle the aftermath. He rushed back to the Emperor's Palace on his own.
He had just returned to the west courtyard where he lived and changed out of his official robe when a maid at the door said in a sweet voice, "Princess Yongfu has arrived."
Yang Ling had just poured half a cup of tea. He quickly put down the cup and rushed out. Princess Yongfu stood gracefully in front of the door. She was dressed in light yellow clothing. Her face was dainty and charming. Although the two of them were husband and wife, they had not yet performed the formal ceremony. When they saw each other, they still had to solemnly and solemnly perform the ceremony of a ruler and an official. Yang Ling quickly cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Eldest Princess."
Princess Yongfu smiled reservedly and waved her sleeve, saying, "You may dispense with the ceremony. Let's talk in the study."
Yang Ling hurriedly led the way. Princess Yongfu led the two maids into the study. Her beautiful eyes turned and she said, "Just put it on the table. You can leave first."
"Yes!" One of the maids curtsied and stepped forward. Only now did Yang Ling realize that she was holding a tray in her hands. There was something on the tray. It was about a foot high and it was covered with red silk. He did not know what it was, but it seemed to be very heavy. The maid had a hard time carrying it.
The maid placed the tray on the table, then curtsied and left. Princess Yongfu had been standing there, dignified and graceful. But when the door opened, she flew into Yang Ling's arms like a swallow. She said coquettishly, "Why are you so busy? You haven't even seen me for a few days. "
Yang Ling hugged her slender waist and kissed her. He smiled lightly and said, "Xiao Ning looks like a sixteen or seventeen year old girl now. Lively and fragrant, warm and fragrant. Not like before. You can only look at me from afar and can't … hmm hmm."
"Hmm? Then can we … now? "He did not say the last two words. Yongfu also did not say them. She only blushed and rolled her eyes at him.
Yang Ling bent his finger and flicked the tip of her buttocks. Yongfu pretended to cry out coquettishly. Yang Ling chuckled and said, "If I don't do this, I'm afraid that my little Ning 'er will be full of grievances."
Princess Yongfu bashfully slapped him. Yang Ling let go of his hand and said with a smile, "I just came back. I wanted to rest for a while before going to see you. What excuse did you use to come see me? If it's porridge, I won't drink it. Won't I be stuffed to death with such a big pot? "
As he spoke, he walked over and lifted the red silk. He couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Jade statue?"
The jewel shone brightly. The jade was smooth and crystal clear. It was a huge piece of fine jade of the highest quality. The carving was also very exquisite. The curves were smooth. When the angle was slightly shifted, the smooth and pleasing green light flowed along with it. Gold was valuable, jade was priceless. There was only one difference between a good jade and a bad jade. It was not easy to find such a large piece of fine jade of the highest quality in the world. It was not an exaggeration to say that this piece of jade was priceless.
Yang Ling looked left and right. After looking for a long time, he said with a face full of regret, "What a pity, it's really a pity."
Yongfu stood by his side and asked curiously, "What's a pity?"
"It's a pity that such a beautiful piece of jade is wasted. It should be carved into your appearance. It should be carved into an old man. Sigh!"
Yongfu laughed and said, "Isn't it enough that I'm standing in front of you alive? You still want to carve a statue. This is the statue of Laojun. Taoist master Zhang personally presided over the consecration. You've been busy killing people these days. As for him, he set up an altar, made talismans, chanted incantations, and consecrated this jade statue. It took him a full seven days and seven nights.
You killed for the imperial court and for the people of the world. However, the evil aura is too strong. With this statue of Kaiguang Laojun by your side, it will get rid of diseases and disasters. It will be impervious to evil. Even if there are ghosts and evil spirits, they would have long fled far away. "
"So effective?" Yang Ling didn't dare to doubt it. He had more or less seen the abilities of Taoist master Zhang. Although there were many swindlers in the world, there was no lack of real masters.
Yang Ling looked up and down at the kind-looking, sage-like Li Laojun and said, "It's really hard on you, Taoist Master. You've spent a lot of effort to consecrate this jade statue."
"Oh! This, Taoist Master consecrated this jade statue. It's a gift to you, Imperial Brother. I've seen it and feel that you need it more. It's coming. "
Yang Ling looked at the righteous Zhu Xiuning, then looked at the smiling Taoist Li. He couldn't help but let out a long sigh. It was such a blessing to have a wife like this! Poor Brother Houzhao. Fortunately, his father Hongzhi only gave him two younger sisters. If he had a few more, he didn't know how much more things he would be extorted.
A beauty's kindness? How to repay it?
On the large carved rosewood chair, the two snuggled up to each other, kissing and hugging each other, looking very intimate. But …
"Hey, why are you looking around?" Yongfu panted and said angrily.
"I … I'm embarrassed that the old man is watching." Yang Ling laughed dryly and said, "The carving is very vivid, and it's been consecrated. I feel uncomfortable." Yang Ling stood up and held the heavy Laojun statue up. He looked around and walked to the antique flower rack and placed him on it. He looked at it and took the red cloth to cover it again.
Only then did Yang Ling clap his hands and say, "That's good. I feel much more at ease."
Princess Yongfu bit her lips and smiled. She stood up and tidied her messy hair. She said, "Let me tell you, it makes me feel that there are always people stealing things. It's really annoying! I'm going back! "
"Ah?" Yang Ling was tempted by her. When he heard this, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded. He said with a bitter face, "You're going back now? Then I … what should I do? "
Princess Yongfu wrinkled her nose mischievously at him, "I don't care. Who told you not to come to see me for a few days?"
Amidst a series of laughter, Princess Yongfu's figure had flashed to the door. When the door opened, the enchanting little beauty turned into the dignified and noble Princess Royal again. She swayed and left.
※ ※ ※
Being able to leave the hall and go to bed, her status was noble. She was already the best in the world. What if she was a queen? Not only was she a charming queen with a large army, but she was also all-powerful and more heroic than men. How would that feel?
Just as Yang Ling was carrying out the "Zheng De Emperor's tour to the south and cleaning up the city," Red Lady had also just finished a major sweep on the grasslands. In this battle, she had killed seven thousand enemies and captured three thousand. She had over twenty thousand cows, goats, and horses, as well as countless tents and weapons.
The sky was blue and the wilderness was vast. Cattle and sheep could be seen on the grass when the wind blew.
On the fertile land of the Hannan River basin, Mongolian yurts were scattered in front of high slopes, under big trees, on the grassland, and beside the river. As far as the eye could see, everywhere was lush and full of vitality.
On the grassland around the camp, horses neighed and dogs barked, cattle and sheep were in herds, and camels paced leisurely. The azure Onan River, reflecting the white clouds in the sky, flowed all the way to the east, forming small lakes on the grassland. The lakes were full of yellow, red, and purple flowers. Butterflies and bees were busy in the grass. In the mirror-like and beautiful lakes, there were all kinds of waterfowl swimming leisurely and foraging for food …
On the river bank, someone was slaughtering a sheep. In front of the Mongolian yurt, a group of children gathered together and cheered for two teenagers who were wrestling. These children were as strong as calves. In a few years, they would be a group of brave warriors on horseback.
"See? Cui Ying 'er has managed this place very well. Although she has our secret support, it is not easy to have such a big situation in such a short period of time. I'm starting to admire her a little. "
Cheng Qiyun's charming eyes turned and said with infinite charm.
The melodious and mellow sound of the horse-head zither came from afar. Adni rode on the horse and happily looked at everything in front of her. She nodded and said: "Yes, she is a very great heroine. Heroes can always create miracles."
Behind the two of them were more than sixty knights respectfully following. There were Han, Mongolians, Koreans, and Japanese. There were even Russians who crossed the border from the Khanate of Kazan in the far north to make a living here. These people were the elite warriors of Adni's mercenary army.
However, all of this did not cause the people in the camp to feel uneasy. Their own race was complicated enough. What's more, they were not unfamiliar with the strange-looking Russians. It was only more than twenty years ago that Ivan the Great Khan of Ross Principality had the courage to refuse to pay tribute to the Mongolian Great Khan. Before that, these tribal people often saw Russians who traveled long distances to pay their respects to the Great Khan.
"She divided the increasingly large tribes and warriors according to the Mongolian way, and stationed them in different areas of the Hannan River basin. But the difference is that the connection between the tribes is closer. Each tribe is only responsible for nomadic herding, and the remaining resources are all transported here. And here, a fixed city will be built this year, becoming the center of each nomadic tribe.
In order to strengthen control and also to allow the nomadic people to move quickly, each of the herding tribes sent out all the old people and children to stay here. These people will not be idle. They can weave felt blankets, make bows and arrows, open up some land to learn farming, be responsible for building the city, and reprocess the skin, hair, horns, tendons, glue, and bones left behind from slaughtering animals. This is more profitable than directly selling the raw materials, and it has also trained a group of mature craftsmen and farmers. Hey! Very smart. "
Even though Cheng Qiyun was praising Cui Ying'er, there was still a hint of jealousy in her tone. She did not forget that Yang Ling had said that this was the first time he had taken the initiative to pursue a woman. Compared to her own failed attempts at seduction, the more Cui Ying'er displayed her strengths, the stronger the jealousy in her heart.
Adeni said with a smile: "And this way, the original boundaries of each tribe and the characteristics of their own power have all been disrupted. She can use the official system of the Central Plains to control the officials, which is a very smart approach. She is a Han, which is her biggest weakness. If it wasn't for the Great Khan of Bayan above her, it would be hard to imagine that these Mongolians would surrender to her without using bloody force.
However, using this method to weaken the power of the tribal nobles, after a few years, the influence of these nobles will become smaller and smaller, and the herdsmen of each tribe will only know one leader, and that is the King of Northern England. I heard that she can't read? Yes! Then she is a genius, manipulating people's hearts and establishing power, for her, this is a talent, it's really enviable! "
"This little wench is doing this on purpose!" Cheng Qiyun glared at Adeni with hatred: "I'm not jealous, I'm not fooled! Hmph! "
She raised the tip of her nose and said: "That's right, but unfortunately, a moment of glory is like the spring flowers and weeds, seemingly full of vitality, but it's just a flash in the pan. Cui Ying'er is now in danger, the ambitious wolves have already set their eyes on her, but she is still on a killing spree, there is no way to deal with it. "
When Adni heard Cheng Qiyun's sour words, a trace of a proud smile floated in her eyes. Her bright and beautiful eyes contained a smile, like ripples in spring water, very moving. She found that as long as she praised Cui Ying'er, Cheng Qiyun would be jealous. This method was tried and tested, even if she knew that she was deliberately teasing her.
Making this stunning eastern beauty jealous had now become one of Adeni's main entertainment activities.
There was movement among the herd of cows, horses, and sheep. In the distance, the sound of hooves rumbled like thunder, flags fluttered, and drums and horns were raised. Thousands of warhorses galloped over like a long dragon. Cheng Qiyun and Adeni stopped to watch. From afar, the warriors on the horses looked no different from the Mongolian tribes, except that their momentum was more valiant, and their equipment was more complete.
On the horses, there were swords, shields, bows, crossbows, and leather armor. The only difference was that everyone was wearing a white cloak. As they galloped from afar, the cloaks fluttered like white clouds, adding to their momentum. The army was like the tide of the Qiantang River, arriving in an instant amidst the roars.
The person charging at the front was riding a white horse, wearing a white helmet and white armor, the top of the helmet was red like blood, that vigorous and heroic posture was unforgettable. It was rare to see such an exquisite full armor on the grasslands. At a glance, it was obvious that it was captured from the general who killed Ming Destiny.
The general in white armour had already seen the group of knights standing on the slope by the river and watching them. His warhorse, which was originally circling around to a huge tent, suddenly turned and galloped straight towards Cheng Qiyun and the others. Behind him, dozens of personal guards immediately followed.
"So handsome, just like my Yang, heh, even though she's a woman!" Adeni's hero worship reached its peak.
"Is there a difference between men and women? Whenever I see Cui Ying'er, I say no! "Cheng Qiyun immediately felt sour. Adeni's' evil plan 'had once again succeeded.
"You're here?" Cui Ying'er used the tip of her whip to touch the silver helmet, laughed heartily, and said: "Come, let's go to the tent to talk." As she said that, she jumped off the horse, obviously wanting to walk back to the tent with them.
"Another big victory?"
"It's not a big victory. This tribe's combat power is not strong, but they have always been loyal to the Wala people. We even destroyed their nest. The people who are willing to surrender have been scattered to several camps, and the cattle, sheep, and other belongings will only arrive a few days later. When the time comes, some surplus things that are temporarily not needed will be handed over to you to transport. "
"Well, I heard that you won the battle two days ago. So it was to disperse and settle the surrendered people that delayed the return journey?"
"Hehe, not all of it!" Cheng Qiyun took off her helmet. Her head was a little sweaty, and her beautiful hair was combed into a pretty ponytail. It was very simple: "It's mainly the distribution of female slaves. The families of those from the enemy tribes who refuse to surrender and those who died in the battle have to be dealt with. According to the rules of the grasslands, the defeated ones are the private property of others. Most of the women are reduced to slaves, and the best outcome is to be married by the herdsmen. "
Cui Ying'er said: "You all know that the men I brought are all single soldiers. If I don't let them touch women for a long time, there will be trouble. Even when there is a battle, there will be burning, killing, raping, and not listening to orders. As for me, I will reward them according to their merits. Those who fight bravely will be given wives first, so that they can start a family, so that they can guard here with peace of mind. Haha, my soldiers love their wives very much, so I won't treat them unfairly.
Besides, I found that the best way to take root here is to marry the locals. Their tribes were often divided by blood and marriage relations. I also encourage the brothers to marry the women of these tribes who have surrendered to me. In a few years, we will all be one family. At that time, who will still treat us as outsiders? "
Several people entered Cui Ying'er's tent. This place was clean and magnificent. The furnishings inside were both Mongolian style and the furniture commonly used by the Han people. When the maid saw that it was the smugglers Miss Cheng and Miss Ah Qiyun who often visited, she quickly took out the best tea that she had collected and brewed it for them.
After that, Cui Ying'er waved her hand to dismiss everyone, including the few personal maids that she had taken in as her confidants. She then took off her armor and changed into a Mongolian blue robe for women. She then untied her hair, and immediately transformed from a heroic young general into a gentle and charming beauty.
Adni smiled and glanced at Cheng Qiyun, using her eyes to answer her question about Cui Ying'er being a man and a woman. Cheng Qiyun pretended not to look at her and said to Cui Ying'er: "This time, in addition to sending you a batch of supplies and a batch of property, I actually have another reason.
I have inquired about the chief of the tribe that you asked me to inquire about. His tribe is not big, and his power is definitely not able to organize a well-equipped thousand-man team. Through my investigation, the group of people that you met that day should be the guards of the Duoyan Three Guards Queen Yin Qi Qiqi Ge. In other words, that old man is not an important person. The girl you met in the tent that day is the real important person. "
Cui Ying'er was stunned. She frowned and thought for a while, then smiled: "No wonder she always rushed to talk to me that day, but that old man only responded casually. I thought he was spoiling the younger generation. Queen Yin Qi? Sigh! I wanted to make friends with a few tribe leaders, but since she is the Queen of the Duoyan Three Guards, it is not convenient to get close to her. "
Cheng Qiyun shook her head: "That is not true. You must know that when Daren ordered you to come out, he did not expect that Bayan Meng would grant you land and let you develop like this. His original idea was that you would rely on Bayan Meng or Huo Xi and benefit from them. In this way, you would have to clearly make an enemy of Ming Destiny and the Duoyan Three Guards.
However, times have changed. Your development is too fast, so fast that it has exceeded the limits of what Bayan Meng can accept. It has also exceeded the endurance of Huo Xi and Yibuji. Now is the season when the grass is plentiful, and it is suitable for a large army to march. I think that the allied forces of Huo Xi and Wala will soon make a move against you.
Bayan, who only has the attitude of making use of you, is eager for you and Huo Xi to exhaust their troops. Once the two sides start a war, he will definitely not mobilize a single soldier. What should we do at that time? Do you want Ming Destiny to openly mobilize his troops to show his support for you?
I have calculated that Ming Destiny needs to recuperate for a period of time. If he wants to have enough strength to mobilize his troops, it will take at least two years. If you want to consolidate your territory and let the tribes here completely submit to you, as a Han, it will take at least seven to ten years. Do you have the time? "
Cui Ying 'er pondered for a moment and said, "Sister Cheng, tell me your thoughts in detail."
Cheng Qiyun said, "This is the most fertile Onan River basin. It is the place where Genghis Khan flourished. He was born in Dieli Wein Letalhei on the banks of this river. It was also here that he prospered until he was conferred the title of Khan. Therefore, the tribes here have the pride and arrogance of being Mongolian warriors. The tribes here are the most difficult to be conquered by a Han leader like you.
The reason why Bayan gave this place to you is that this place was occupied by the Wala people at that time. He wants to use your troops to restrain Huo Xi and Wala without expending a single soldier. At the same time, it is also because once your wings gradually grow and he loses control, you are a Han and he is a Mongolian. As long as he leads his troops to attack, you will lose the unity of your people. It will be very difficult to appease the internal situation and at the same time resist him. "
Cui Ying 'er nodded and closed her eyes slightly. She said in deep thought, "Continue!"
Cheng Qiyun said, "This is your innate weakness and it cannot be resolved in a short period of time. However, he does not know that you have our secret support. Therefore, what should have been the most difficult winter, the most inconvenient winter for marching troops, did not pose any hindrance to you. On the contrary, taking advantage of these extremely unfavorable conditions for Wala, you used this winter to conquer a large piece of land.
Now, how is the expansion of your power going? To the west, you have reached Kentihan Mountain, overlooking the city of Ulan Bator of the Wala people. To the north, you have reached Lake Baikal. To the east, you have entered Lake Hulun and Lake Beier, which are under the nominal control of the Nu's Dushi. To the southeast is the Three Duoyan Guards.
Look at the forces around you. To the north is the Kazan Khaganate and the Astrakhan Khaganate. They are often at war with each other and are unable to move south. To the west is the territory of the Wala people. They have already felt your threat and will want to get rid of you as soon as possible. To the northeast is the Nuergan Dushi. Along the Shianka River, Peng Xiaoshou's militia and Han Wei's Wood River Guards can help you. However, not at the last moment. You cannot expose the fact that you are an officer of Ming Destiny.
What about the south? Across the Krulun River is Boyan's territory. When Wala and you fight, he won't send troops to help you. In fact, when both sides are heavily injured, he might even use his identity as the Great Khan to take over your power and territory, reaping the benefits from it.
You need a strong ally now! "
Cui Ying 'er opened her eyes blankly and asked, "Where is my ally?"
"In the southeast, beside Bayan, are the Three Duoyan Guards!" Cheng Qiyun said calmly, "Queen Yinqi is facing difficulties both internally and externally. Now is also the time when she needs a strong ally. I think, both of you should be able to get what you need."
"How is that possible? Don't forget, the reason why I came out in the name of the White Army was to not arouse the wariness of Bayan and Fire Sieve towards Ming Destiny. Another reason was to prevent the Three Duoyan Guards from deliberately pulling Ming Destiny into the battle. How can I form an alliance with the Three Duoyan Guards? If I don't reveal Ming Destiny's identity, then I will still be a horse thief. Would Queen Yinqi dare to take the risk of offending Ming Destiny's imperial court to ally with me? "
Cheng Qiyun smiled and said, "You using the identity of the White Army is itself a cover. It is to make them feel that you are useful and harmless to them. You have a common enemy, so it is convenient for you to gain a foothold. Now that you have gained a foothold, and because you have gained a foothold, you have become a thorn in their side. What are you still worried about?
As for the Three Duoyan Guards, hmph! When Hua Dang was still around, they had already revealed their ambition to betray Ming Destiny. Now that they have actual strength that is no weaker than Bayan and Fire Sieve, if they can get your help to prevent internal strife, then will they still be worried that Ming Destiny's imperial court will be dissatisfied?
Besides, even if they are worried, these things are easy to operate. It is easy to make Yinqi believe that her forced alliance will not be strongly opposed by Ming Destiny. The imperial court only needs to use some tricks and they will cooperate with your actions. "
Cheng Qiyun took a sip of tea and smiled sweetly, "Bayan Meng wants to make you into a sharp blade in his hands! As for you, you carried his banner and built your own empire! Now, the old boss is jealous and about to turn against you, but it is not time for you to establish your own faction. What should you do? If you, the deputy khan of the grassland, want to continue to fish in troubled waters, you need to find a new boss, someone who is also recognized by the grassland tribes as a puppet! "
"Queen Yinqi?"
"Queen Yinqi!"
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